Hockey Team Attacked By Youths In Allentown

February 10, 1990|by KRISTIN CASLER, The Morning Call

A group of about 15 people armed with pipes and bats beat several members of a youth street hockey team who were playing behind the Cleveland School in Allentown Wednesday, and team members and parents yesterday expressed outrage at the deteriorating state of the neighborhood.

One youth, Todd Fenstermaker, was hospitalized for two days with head and neck injuries he received from a lead pipe. Three other team members were injured, Coach Dale Bachman said yesterday.

Police Lt. Anthony Guerino said the beating is not gang-related and emphasized it was a single incident that began with a verbal exchange. No one has been arrested. Although some adults may have been involved, the police Youth Division is investigating the assault.

Team members said they recognized some of their attackers but said they were from a different neighborhood.

Bachman said the night began just as any other. Ten members of his Allentown Street Hockey League team began practicing as they have every night for the past four years.

A racially mixed group of youths was playing basketball in the small paved playground behind the 424 N. 9th St. school. As usual, the hockey players played around the basketball players, Bachman said.

"We could see that they were looking for trouble," he said.

The mother of one of the basketball players drove up and rounded up the group to leave before 8 p.m. As one basketball player got into the car, he yelled something derogatory and raised his middle finger to the hockey players. One hockey player responded, and the other youth threatened to come back, a team member said.

He said he still does not know what words were exchanged.

About 10 minutes later, the team was attacked from all sides by the returning group. They came from around different corners of buildings wielding pipes, bats and plastic bats filled with rocks, Bachman said.

Bachman said he tried to stop the attack, but "then all holy hell broke lose."

In less than a minute, three players were injured, faces already swollen, and 17-year-old Fenstermaker lay in a pool of blood.